Holy Cow! Shoo! What?

Speak about cow and Hinduism sees as a holy image. It’s not uncommon to see people touch a cow passing by the road and seek blessings by then touching their temple and heart with the right hand. In the countryside, they are of course used for farming and dairy products. The city side it would only serve as a dairy source and maybe some pulling bullock carts to transport supplies. But still, she is considered to be sacred, holy and so she is prayed to win some blessings. For the non-Hindu’s however, its possibly just another animal that is or was domesticated and would turn up as a menu item.

apathy of the cow which is holy in India

But its surprising that the same people who treat a cow holy can also treat them in a way which definitely is not an act of sanctity . The domestic cows are seen left to roaming around in streets of busy city roads. There are no caretakers for most of such marooned cows. They are let loose and left on their own if the owners cannot meet up the medical needs or if the cow is just like another white elephant – to just feed fodder and get no milk in return. It’s sad that the same cow who is looked as a figure attached with holiness is later turned aside as another liability. Does holiness fade away with time?

During a visit to a temple with my mom and two sisters, I saw a strange and funny combination of both at the same time. And it was saddening too. A newly wed couple with few other relatives were taking shelter from sun below the plastic roof of a shop when a cow strolled their side. The woman set her hand ahead, touched the head of the cow seeking blessings, closing her eyes and then touching her forehead and lower neck. Then suddenly, her husband hit the cow hard from back and pushed aside for her to move out from ‘their’ place yelling out “Shoo! Go away! Go Away!”. I am sure the cow also would have got puzzled as what is happening. From the front there is the woman praying her and adoring her while from the back, the guy is hitting her back shooing her away. Me and my sister were feeling sad for the cow but were also laughing over the couple at how the good and bad can happen at the same time, and in this case from the same family.

You can go to any religious place but no matter how many sacred chants you made, how many statues you prayed for blessings, as long as there is any ill-treatment from your side, there is no washing off your sins.

Car Aflame

Aflame! Sorry but I do not mean an excited car out here. lol.

I witnessed a car burning in flames last night when going to meet a friend. It was just about 200 meters from the car when I, riding on my motor cycle, was signaled by a medium built guy to stop. At first I thought it might be another mugger as it was already about 10 pm and there are rarely any people on that road. But I slowed down and the guy screamed out not to go ahead as there is a car burning, fearing it might burst at any moment. I stopped and watched the blaze. It was mainly in the bonnet while some streaks of fire could be seen at the bottom of the car as well. For a moment I watched how serious it was. Was it by some miscreants or was it an accident? There were a host of other people and vehicles lined up at a safe distance while further frantic calls were being made by the same guy who signaled at me to stop other approaching vehicles. After a while I started at full throttle, wore my helmet and raced past the blazing car. At the same time when I was starting, a mini fire truck wailed beside me and parked just crossing the car. As I reached a possibly safe distance, I could imagine a sigh of relief in the watching small group.

I returned back through the same road after some time and could see that the situation was back to normal. This time again, I stopped and walked near the vehicle to have a look at the damage. There were some 6-7 people with the car this time, 2-3 of them discussing possibly about the dealer of the car, damage compensation etc. On asking one guy standing beside, he told me that the engine just caught fire, possibly overheating or some electrical glitch somewhere.

The car was a brand new Tata Indica GLS. This was a live sight I had witnessed after reading stories of three such car fires in the local newspapers in last two months.

Special Apple Dosas with “Pain”

Heard that an apple a day keeps the doc away. What do you do if its Pain-Apples and especially when its called Painapple Special Dosa? Slapstickally comic but the restaurateur just overlooked it I guess. It was only later that they realized Pineapples would have been better than Pain-Apples .

Wanna grab one?

Michael

Mikaeel he was at the age of 50, when he left the followers of his style of pop in a loss. It was reported that most of the community websites unavailable when the news broke out. Some were in shock and disbelief, some were heartbroken.

It was November last year that Michael Jackson had become Mikaeel, embracing Islam. In fact, most of the people in his reach went towards same faith. His songwriter David who became Dawud, his producer who turned from Phillip Bubal to Idris Phillips and his brother Jermaine.

He was black and yet he was white. It was probably this song “Black or White” that I first heard about MJ and started liking his songs thereafter and also those which were already present before but I didnt even hear of! As sort of his comeback to the stage after a long enough gap, his London show was eagerly awaited by millions of his fan followers but alas, sadly he couldn’t last till then. It’s a wait that is going to be a wait forever. He left a gap within all which will be felt for long now. It was supposedly the last of his performances.

He lived like a king – he was the king of pop, but he died in debt. The later part of his life went with a lot of media publicized controversies. He didn’t want to die young like Elvis, and 50 is well not young enough. The gods kept that part in mind I guess and has made it appear a bit mysterious as well.

Rest in Peace Michael alias Mikaeel.

Michael, Mikaeel, Michael Jackson, MJ, Black or White

Is anything happening?

Its been two months now since the shocking attacks in Mumbai on the 26th of November last year. For a quick chronology of the 26/11 attack, refer this link. The well choreographed plot by a bunch of teenage kids went on from the night of 26th November, Wednesday to 29th November, Saturday afternoon. All else killed but one captured by a couple of not heavily armed Mumbai cops. Brave men!

Soon, all fingers pointed towards Pakistan. Since then, there had been investigations by many groups on the plot. One of the much reputed international investigator agencies too dropped in. Our defense system was heard or felt to be assembling up for go-for-the-kill. The lone captured terrorist was a vital clue towards many aspects. We sure were no short of other vital proofs. But that’s all that has been happening. None has been sentenced to any trial. There is no news of any other big fish being in clutches of the law. There had been talks, discussions, added tensions and hostility, exchange of words, handling over of dossiers to Pak and all such drama. Its odd enough that India has been asking to hand over a few of the key terrorist masters like Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarrar Shah, while Pak wouldn’t agree to comply stating that if any terror minds, if any found, as such will face trial in their own country. Interestingly though, the law in Pakistan currently do not have any provisions for dealing with those who had commited crimes outside the country.

Representatives from the international power who unhesitatingly consider them as being above all laws also attempted to resolve the tensions, making sure the worse do not happen – unlocking the nuclear warhead. Its ultimately in the hands of the countries which are involved in the soup. However there is the ’system’ which we as usual are complaining about, that is still letting things hanging.

The past two months has seen many events unfolding with regard to the terror attacks. There is progress or not, I wonder how many does care about it now. Some of us are tired to sit and watch at the pace it is going. Some are sure nothing major will happen for at least a decade. Why? See the 1991 Mumbai bomb blasts case. That case was dragged at all ends possible for one reason or another. I was just a kid unaware of any such events back then in 1991. But only last year did we see the long list of criminals that were to be produced and acquitted ot convicted. Yet the main accused are yet to be netted.

But lets still have a hope. As the new Prez of the states has used – “Hope”! This Jan 29th is to see Pakistan respond to Indias file on proofs and records submitted to them. But there will be more to come until the real conclusion is reached. Or is it even going to conclude?

Technorati Tags: Mumbai, Terror, 26/11, Trial, Attack, Bomb

Mumbai.. Aftermath…A PERFECT LETTER TO PM

I was thinking about the recent Mumbai terror and wondering how do I put on my thoughts and then I came up with the post Mumbai…Terrorised Again!. At the same time I got a mail forward from one of my friends on the same topic. It didn’t get late for the news media to term this event 26/11 and also referred to as ‘India’s own 9/11‘. What the crap! Why relate this event in November to a situation that was completely different in the states? Whatsoever, our Prime Minister refused to comment initially saying he would speak publicly when its over. I am sure he didnt even dream that he will have to wait for 3 days. And then there was a speech where he said ‘Nobody would be spared’. Yeah right!

To this, instead of me expressing anything I thought it better to put up this letter to the PM by a certain Prakash B. Bajaj of Mumbai. Please note that I have not made any attempts at verifying the authenticity of this mail. The letter here is as was sent to me in the forwarded mail.

——————————————-

Dear Mr. Prime minister

I am a typical mouse from Mumbai. In the local train compartment which has capacity of 100 persons, I travel with 500 more mouse. Mouse at least squeak but we don’t even do that.

Today I heard your speech. In which you said ‘NO BODY WOULD BE SPARED’. I would like to remind you that fourteen years has passed since serial bomb blast in Mumbai took place. Dawood was the main conspirator. Till today he is not caught. All our bolywood actors, our builders, our Gutka king meets him but your Government can not catch him. Reason is simple; all your ministers are hand in glove with him. If any attempt is made tocatch him everybody will be exposed. Your statement ‘NOBODY WOULD BE SPARED’ is nothing but a cruel joke on this unfortunate people of India….

Enough is enough. As such after seeing terrorist attack carried out byabout a dozen young boys I realize that if same thing continues days are not away when terrorist will attack by air, destroy our nuclear reactor
and there will be one more Hiroshima .

We the people are left with only one mantra. Womb to Bomb to Tomb. Youpromised Mumbaikar Shanghai what you have given us is Jalianwala Baug. Today only your home minister resigned. What took you so long to kick out this joker? Only reason was that he was loyal to Gandhi family. Loyalty to Gandhi family is more important than blood of innocent people, isn’t it?

I am born and bought up in Mumbai for last fifty eight years. Believe me corruption in Maharashtra is worse than that in Bihar . Look at all thepolitician, Sharad Pawar, Chagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, Bal Thackray, Gopinath Munde, Raj Thackray, Vilasrao Deshmukh all are rolling in money. Vilasrao Deshmukh is one of the worst Chief minister I have seen. His only business is to increase the FSI every other day, make money and send it to Delhi so Congress can fight next election. Now the clown has found new way and will increase FSI for fisherman so they can build concrete house right on sea shore. Next time terrorist can comfortably live in those house , enjoy the beauty of sea and then attack the Mumbai at their will.

Recently I had to purchase house in Mumbai. I met about two dozen builders. Everybody wanted about 30% in black. A common person like me knows this and with all your intelligent agency & CBI you and your finance minister are not aware of it. Where all the black money goes? To the underworld isn’t it? Our politicians take help of these goondas to vacate people by force. I myself was victim of it. If you have time please come to me, I will tell you everything.

If this has been land of fools, idiots then I would not have ever cared to write you this letter. Just see the tragedy, on one side we are reaching moon, people are so intelligent and on other side youpolitician has converted nectar into deadly poison. I am everything Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Schedule caste, OBC, Muslim OBC, Christian Schedule caste, Creamy Schedule caste only what I am not is INDIAN. You politician have raped every part of mother India by your policy of divide and rule.

Take example of former president Abdul Kalam. Such a intelligent person, such a fine human being. You politician didn’t even spare him. Your party along with opposition joined the hands, because politician feels they are supreme and there is no place for good person.

Dear Mr Prime minister you are one of the most intelligent person, most learned person. Just wake up, be a real SARDAR. First and foremost expose all selfish politician. Ask Swiss bank to give name of all Indian account holder. Give reins of CBI to independent agency. Let them find wolf among us. There will be political upheaval but that will better than dance of death which we are witnessing every day. Just give us ambient where we can work honestly and without fear. Let there be rule of law. Everything else will be taken care of. Choice is yours Mr. Prime Minister. Do you want to be lead by one person or you want to lead the nation of 100 Crore people?

Prakash B. Bajaj Chandralok ‘A” Wing, Flat No 104
97 Nepean Sea Road
Mumbai 400 036
Phone 98210-71194

——————————————-

Comments and criticisms are welcome.

Mumbai…Terrorised Again!

It was this 26th November and we happened to witness one of the worst attacks right in front of our eyes. Like me, I am sure many of us had been glued on to the news channels for a second by second update on whats happening in and around the prestigious Taj Hotel, Oberio, Trident, Vile Parle and many other places which were surprisingly attacked as one part of the world was getting onto their mattresses to catch onto some good dreams. Major cities of the world are often looked upon as soft targets. Only when something unnatural happens somewhere is the security tightened up. Yeah! I hope the authorities have nabbed the culprits likewise in other past events like that.

But what happened in Mumbai now was a totally different picture with many dimensions. The security forces were busy formulating plans on how to get it under control. Of course, the police and security personnel commented that “things were under control”. But was it really under control? Does it take 3 days to end if it was really under control? What really was under control then? Toll of the dead people kept on piling up. Those who got stuck within the premises of the attack zone had a hard time convincing themselves that they will be free soon. But their inner self wouldn’t agree. Finally as it appeared that its going to end, we again get to hear and see the busy military activity to completely secure the premises. As people prayed for the terror to pass soon, it had to be the marine corps, the NSG, the army and such special forces that brought those “dooms days” to an end.

The curtain has dropped now. Yet there was still more onto it. The home minister resigned as the nation backfired all possible loop holes. Question were asked. Fingers were pointed at. Politicians banked on this as an opportunity to get onto their rivals and those in power. No one is spared. Newspapers came up with all possible stories in the days to follow. A unique dimension in this attack was it was the ones placed in high society who had to suffer the blows…for long paused hours. There were quite a few high profile icons who succumbed to the unfortunate attacks. That burnt a huge hole. How often do we hear that so many highly placed peronas are injured or dead. Its always the general mass. So now those placed in the high society and such are in this new fear grip. They had to act. Candle light march, brain-storming sessions, placard displays soon followed. The weak link of co-operation and well being between and India and Pakistan has begun to get loose. And even after the situation seems to have settled down today, there is still more to be uncovered and exposed. Whats not sure is how much more is to follow and how long does it take for this to be cracked.

Technorati Tags: Mumbai, Terror

To be a better man

I was listening to this song by Robie Williams and fell in love with it. There’s love, emotion, and pain and also its about expectation of someone out there for everyone. The lyrics attracted me and couldn’t resist posting it up here.

In some way, this is the condition most people are in and in the present circumstances I am running through, I have similar thoughts up there in my mind……..

Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain

Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I’m getting old
Before my time

As my soul heals the shame
I will grow old through this pain
Lord I’m doing all I can
To be a better man

Go easy on my conscience
Cause it’s not my fault
I know I’ve been taught
To take the blame

Rest assured my angels
Who catch my tears
Walk me out of here
I’m in pain

As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I’m doing all I can
To be a better man

Once you’ve found that lover
You’re homeward bound
Love is all around
Love is all around

I know some have fallen
On stony ground
But love is all around

Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain

Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I’m getting old
Before my time

As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I’m doing all I can
To be a better man

All credits to Robie Williams for presenting to the world such a wonderful song.

Pain and suffering

 

At some point of time, I am sure one or the other has searched for this term in their favorite search engines. As of this moment when this is being typed, if someone has tried that set of word using the largest search engine, then eight out of the first ten results would show about accidents and insurance claims arising out of an accident. I was a bit bewildered. According to the Wikipedia, another amazing repository for knowledge, “Pain and suffering” is the legal term for the physical and emotional stress caused from an injury. It serves as a set of collective words here.

I am no expert in pain dealing, but there’s more to pain and suffering.

My post on Pain was entirely about all the pain I had suffered on one unfortunate day. That however didn’t end then and there. I had to go through a surgery two days after that, during which of course I was under anesthetics, but the next few nights were utterly painful. Shots of pain killers still came but I stopped the nurses from injecting. I decided it was better to bear the lesser pain but not the pain killers any more.

Then the other day, I happened to watch the Edward Norton and Brad Pitt starrer movie “Fight Club” and I found some logic in few things in it. The movie is no doubt a wonderful one as is also apparent from its position in the IMDB top 250 listings.

There are pain, suffering, misery of so many kinds to which human beings try to bind their emotions but try to stay away at the same time. We fear pain. But what if one gets accustomed to all sorts of physical torments? Then it leads to fearlessness. Pain becomes a form of enjoyment once you are used to it. Well this enjoyment need not necessarily be the same form as is accepted in general. Imagine that as a form of ecstasy of a kick boxer who had gone through many rounds of fights, after the few or many blows to him or her by the opponents and finally emerged out victorious. That kick boxer would swallow all the blows, however hard they may be, down the throat and would begin to feel lively. But in the movie “Fight Club”, most of the injuries was to forget pain and to “know” that someday everyone was gonna die. And as one of the lines in the movie goes “What would you wish you’d have done before you died?” or put another way – “what would you like to do at this moment if you knew that you are going to die?” Would sound like a pretty insane question to the audience, but that’s a question I think one needs to ask to his or her true self most often if not everyday. Why? Because, the answer to that can give a better meaning to the life of that individual.

So what’s the essence of the matter? Pain and suffering are and had been there. But just as it depends upon how one views at a certain matter, it matters here as well. Whether one cries and gets carried away by the pain, or begins to enjoy it? That’s the perspective.

Nevertheless, the other form of pain – emotional, is much hard to tackle. A character in a very popular TV series of the present time says “First you show me that I can’t be hurt by any weapon and then you cut me deeper than any blade”. Physical pain heals with time but the trauma of an emotional one could last for as long as the soul lives. There had been many instances where one is hurt emotionally since time and again. And when it comes to the matter of love, the pain inflicted when betrayed is much more. That would remain fresh and volatile. Whatever one does, wherever one goes, a mere thought of the betrayal would always make a misery out of life. End to physical pain is to succumb to it – death. An emotional suffering on the other hand could lead to a harrowing end or may be there is no end to it at all. But as they say, may be “time heals everything”.

Going by the legal term, insurance claims can be made for “Pain and suffering” but that would deal only with the physical form, but it can never take care of the emotional but. Coming back to me, for long I have learned to accept pain. As much explains when I picked up this line for me “I am accustomed to pain”, as Frankenstein said.

To end with, I came across an amusing line that read, “As soon as you’re born you start dying, so you might as well have a good time!”

If there are any other perspective on this, just add in.

Friendship Talk

    The other day, I and a very good friend of mine were having a chat exchange on the matter of friendship. It started off as a slow and gradual talk initially offline but when we got onto chat, we went on to discuss a few matters in a very serious tone. And this is what we came out with, which I have of course edited slightly to obfuscate any reference to any person for privacy concerns.

 

me: ……

Other person: ……

me: You are one kinda person i won’t forget in future I guess.

Other person: that was sweet . Won’t allow you to forget also

me: I should be hating u. Ain’t I?

Other person: hahah, Why??? Why should you be hating me??

me: You know why!

Other person: hahah. Naah.. I don’t do things that someone should hate . But depends on individual perspective.

me: or is it that my thinking has gone orthodox.

Other person: hmm. Naah. Just that I have been too unorthodox. Like in the western world. I live like that.

me: should say Yes to that.

Other person: again depends You can say yes to anything u think is right  

me: But who decides what is right n what is not?

Other person: no one can decide. What is right for u can be wrong for me and other way round    What u believe is right will be right for you. That’s it. This is no trigonometry, physics or chemistry to have theorems that can prove  anything. This is life

me: Even one in a mental asylum would believe his deeds are right.. But the wardens try to keep correcting the “wrong” to right.

Other person: but how do you know what is right for one and what is not? Sometimes we have to lie. They say telling lies is wrong.

me: maybe. Depends upon ethics and morals.

Other person: But if it helps someone, and harms no one then how can it be wrong. I think it becomes wrong when u think u have to say the truth of something that can hurt someone. Even the basic principles of moral sciences go wrong sometimes….

me: so do u mean the point of time when I asked u about ‘……..’, it was wrong?

Other person: Hey Naaah. This is a part of being there for each other. These are not things that matter. At least not to me. Relax You were right in what you asked. Else I would have toldanyway. Better to tell things than let you assume!

me: Yah. Right! Reminds me of my line – “Just friends to good friends to best friends to…… where does this end?”

Other person: hahahaha. Naughty!

me: I am glad i gained the guts to ask.

Other person: haha.

me: and much more glad that u responded and didn’t discard it off.

Other person: haha. You know me. I don’t take anything at heart.

me: i would like to limit my kinda “BEST” friends to that level only

Other person: what level?

me: to the level I have gone with you!

Other person: Yeah. I know. That’s nice and nothing to hide kind of relationship. Relax  You are very sweet…. you know

me: Thanks for that. Ok. Chuck it. This is again going somewhere. I said earlier I didn’t want to talk on chat about this. Better is face to face.

Other person: hahaha.

me: or the notepad way at least :0)

Other person: yeah that’s better.

me: That’s a good way of interaction when two ppl are with each other and none of them can speak openly.

Other person: hehe. Yeah I do that often

 

That concluded the serious and philosophical discussion. Please note that these statements are strictly personal and may not necessarily abide by established sources.

Technorati Tags: Friendship, Friends, Chat, Philosophies